Chilean Waters and Communities at Risk

Coal-fired thermoelectric power plants and copper refineries pollute water and the air, and no one is stopping them

Communities like Ventanas, a coastal city in central Chile, could be considered "Sacrifice Zones.” Coal-fired power plants and copper refineries pollute the water and air in these poor communities. Lacking the resources to fight back, these communities suffer as the pollution continues with little to no repercussions.

Warm, polluted waste from the power plants change the ecosystem, disrupting the livelihoods of fishermen and killing underwater wildlife. Of the fish that remain, many are contaminated by copper, arsenic, and cadmium.

The damage isn't limited to water: toxic clouds of sulfur dioxide have sickened residents, and locals report high rates of contamination-related illnesses and deaths. And despite this history, new power plants are being approved, threatening more ecosystems and people.

Oceana is fighting to protect Chile's waters and communities from further destruction. Sign today and tell President Sebastián Piñera to halt plans for new polluting power plants in Ventanas.

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